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The Central government is planning to frame a policy to supply compressed natural gas (CNG) to Gujarat at the same rate as it is given to Delhi and Mumbai under the administered price mechanism (APM), in line with order of the Supreme Court passed last month.
It has also sought 16 weeks time from the Gujarat High Court in order to comply with the directions of the Apex court given in its order of September 30.
The matter had come up for hearing in the Gujarat High Court before bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Jsutice J B Pardiwala on Thursday where assistant solicitor general I H Syed appearing for the Central government mentioned that Union government needed 16 weeks time as it was planning to frame a policy. However, the matter did not come up for discussion today and is likely to be listed tomorrow for further hearing.
The Supreme Court on September 30 had directed the Union government to provide CNG to Gujarat on the same rate as it is given to Delhi and Mumbai.
A bench of Justice H L Dattu and Justice M I Iqbal had upheld Gujarat high court’s order passed last year that the Centre should provide CNG to Gujarat at the price it supplies to Delhi and Mumbai, and dismissed the appeal filed by the Union government.
It had further directed that the state government will have to pass necessary laws to make it compulsory for all four wheelers registered in Gujarat to covert to natural gas.
The Gujarat high court on July 25, 2012 had asked the Centre to supply gas to Ahmedabad for domestic and vehicular under the APM. The order was pronounced based on a public interest litigation (PIL). The Central government had appealed against this decision.
The PIL was filed in 2011 by one Dhrangadhra Prakrutik Mandal which had alleged discrimination against Gujarat in allocation of natural gas at APM in comparison with metropolis like Delhi and Mumbai.
It had sought HC direction to the Centre to prioritize and diversify the unutilised natural gas from non-priority sector to the City Gas Distribution (CGD) for their domestic and vehicular usage, as directed by the Supreme Court in one of the cases to reduce the pollution level and cost of living.
It has also sought 16 weeks time from the Gujarat High Court in order to comply with the directions of the Apex court given in its order of September 30.
The matter had come up for hearing in the Gujarat High Court before bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Jsutice J B Pardiwala on Thursday where assistant solicitor general I H Syed appearing for the Central government mentioned that Union government needed 16 weeks time as it was planning to frame a policy. However, the matter did not come up for discussion today and is likely to be listed tomorrow for further hearing.
The Supreme Court on September 30 had directed the Union government to provide CNG to Gujarat on the same rate as it is given to Delhi and Mumbai.
A bench of Justice H L Dattu and Justice M I Iqbal had upheld Gujarat high court’s order passed last year that the Centre should provide CNG to Gujarat at the price it supplies to Delhi and Mumbai, and dismissed the appeal filed by the Union government.
It had further directed that the state government will have to pass necessary laws to make it compulsory for all four wheelers registered in Gujarat to covert to natural gas.
The Gujarat high court on July 25, 2012 had asked the Centre to supply gas to Ahmedabad for domestic and vehicular under the APM. The order was pronounced based on a public interest litigation (PIL). The Central government had appealed against this decision.
The PIL was filed in 2011 by one Dhrangadhra Prakrutik Mandal which had alleged discrimination against Gujarat in allocation of natural gas at APM in comparison with metropolis like Delhi and Mumbai.
It had sought HC direction to the Centre to prioritize and diversify the unutilised natural gas from non-priority sector to the City Gas Distribution (CGD) for their domestic and vehicular usage, as directed by the Supreme Court in one of the cases to reduce the pollution level and cost of living.
